


That Moment When You Smiled at Me

by Cherikella



Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies)
Genre: Birthday, Charles Xavier has a Ph.D in Adorable, Childhood Memories, Erik is a Sweetheart, First Meeting, Flashbacks, Friendship, Kids, Love, M/M, Memory, charles and erik are kids, erik wears glasses because he'd be hot in them, sebastian shaw's being a jerk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-10
Updated: 2016-08-10
Packaged: 2018-08-07 21:48:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7731001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cherikella/pseuds/Cherikella
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Erik remembers the first time he met Charles when they were children. Now many years later he looks back and realizes that all he wants is to be near his Charles again...</p>
            </blockquote>





	That Moment When You Smiled at Me

Erik sunk back into his comfy armchair and put away the book he was reading. He took off his glasses and rubbed his tired old eyes with the heels of his hands.

“Ah…” he sighed with a soft smile on his lips. “This is good, Charles, isn’t it? Just the two of us here in the quiet of the night… It’s so cozy.”

Erik could see Charles’s bright smile even with his eyes closed. It made him feel warm on the inside.

“Yes. It  _is_  so cozy.” He went on. “I know, I know.” He chuckled. “You don’t have to say it. You find it boring, don’t you? But it’s not. It’s good. I’m good. And the kids were here today with their kids… so it was loud, like you like it. And wow, Erik, we’re so old, so very old…” he yawned, feeling tired from the long day. Stretching a little and hearing his bones creek. “I sound like a haunted house but… I don’t mind being old…” another smile. “You’ve always said I was an old man. Now I finally look it.” He chuckled. Yes, he could hear Charles’s jolly laughter in the silence of the hour. “You always tease me so, my love… I’ve always been a boring man, but you brought colour to my life, always seeing the good in me, always made things magical. Like coming out of a fairytale, the  _good kind of fairytale!”_   Of course, typical Charles! He’d just be quiet and wait to her more compliments! Greedy bastard, Erik thought fondly. “You know I love you, don’t you, Charles? All my life, you’ve always made my birthdays so special. Starting with the first one we spent together… Remember that?

**_~ Flashback ~_ **

10 year old Erik was sitting by himself in the corner of the playground, hugging his knees and sighing. It was boring to be outside when he could stay in his room and read his favourite books. But his mother insisted he played outside to get fresh air and sunlight and to make friends. There was air in his room, Erik thought, and there was also sunlight slipping through his windows – he was well-aware of that. As for making friends… well, he doubted that would be an option anyway. He was too shy to let go of his shyness and actually  _talk_ to someone. And even if he  _wanted_ to find a friend, he was pretty sure no one would actually ‘click’ with him. He had tried for the last 3 years to meet another kid that would understand and like the things he liked but it never worked out so he just faced the fact that he was different and he was destined to be  _alone._ He was fine with it.

Just as this last thought crossed his mind his attention was brought to a suspicious group of burly boys that were approaching a kid who was building sandcastles. Erik had a bad feeling about this… Not that he could do anything about it… His eyes remained fixed on that part of the playground nevertheless. It was something he couldn’t help, it was like an instinct.

The kid with the sandcastles didn’t even notice the possible danger that was coming his way until it was too late. The taller kid pushed  _Sandcastles_  – that’s what Erik started calling the shorter kid in his head – and he fell face first in the sand with a gasp.

“C’mon, say something,  _baby!_ ” the taller boy hissed. His other two friends laughed.  Erik felt his heart clench. There was nothing he could do… nothing he could do…

Sandcastles turned around grimacing, stubbornly not saying a word.

“I said  ** _talk_**!” the leader said

“Yeah! Taaaalk, baby, talk!” the others added mockingly. “Sebastian told you to talk so taaalk!”

Sandcastles pursed his lips, brows brought together.

“You gonna be stubborn, baby? That’s what baby gonna be now?” the boy they called Sebastian, obviously the leader of this little group of Hell, told the other kid – Sandcastles. “C’mon, baby. I wanna hear your baby talk.”

With every second Erik felt rage rising inside him, making his heart beat faster and his breathing to become shallower. He realized his fists were clenched tightly and a small part of him was surprised that anything managed to get such a strong reaction out of him. He was usually very calm.

The two other kids started pushing Sandcastles even though he was still down in the sand. The other kid – Sebastian – kept yelling at him to talk.

This was ridiculous, Erik thought! What were they thinking? How dared they!? Without realizing it he had risen to his feet and making a few steps towards the sand.

“Talk! Talk!” Sebastian said through his teeth, pulling Sandcastles’ beautiful curly hair. “You’re a baby! You can’t even talk properly yet!”

For some reason the others laughed at that. Encouraged Sebastian continued.

“I thought I told you not to come to this playground, small fwy!” Sebastian hissed at him, pushing him further down on the ground.

Sandcastles’ head landed in the sand with a thump.  

“Hey! Stop that!” Erik heard his own voice, loud and angry, as he strode faster towards the sand.

At first the taller kids ignored him so he had to yell again, this time closer to them.

Sebastian turned around and arched an eyebrow at Erik. “Did you actually  _talk_ to me, thick lenses?”  

Erik felt his blood boil. He was angry and frightened at the same time. He wanted to go home and he wanted to stay. He wanted to punch Sebastian hard in the face and he wanted to run away. But most of all he wanted to save Sandcastles from these horrible bullies, and finally that emotion took over.

“Yes, I  _did_ actually talk to you. You wanted someone to talk to you, didn’t you?” Erik said, surprised at how firm his voice sounded, despite all the fear he felt on the inside. “Don’t touch him! Don’t talk to him! From now on stay away from him!”

“Oooh, and what ya gonna do? Shoot lasers through your thick glasses?” Sebastian laughed and his group laughed with him.

Erik was trying to come up with a clever reply when suddenly…

“You’we such idiots!”

He heard a small voice. It was Sandcastles. He had used the short moment of distraction to get up from the sand and was now standing tall – which still wasn’t much because he really was a short kid – with his hands placed sassily on his hips.

Erik’s eyes went wide. This kid could have ran away and leave Erik alone to deal with these bullies. Instead he stood up to them defending Erik. At first Erik thought he was saving Sandcastles; now Sandcastles was saving him back. They were like… like partners… like… like…  _friends…?_

Now was not the time.

“Beat it, Sebastian!” Erik said

“Oh, so the two of you are gonna scawe me? Ha!” Sebastian mocked them.

“Gonna do mowe than that.” Sandcastles said. Sass was probably his middle name because that’s what was pouring out of him right now – the expression on his face, the edges of his lips arched up a little in mockery in the face of his bullies, the hands on the hips… even his hair was like… like… Erik didn’t know. But he thought it was pretty heroic.

“Oh, yeah, wittwe baby?”

Erik was disgusted by the way Sebastian was mocking Sandcastles’ speech. It was unfair. The kid wasn’t to blame for not being able to pronounce his r’s.

Before he knew it he was taking his glasses off and carefully placing them on a bench nearby and in less than a second he was at Sebastian, pulling his hair and pinching his arms,‘fighting’ him in the weirdest and most uncoordinated way someone could ever imagine. It was clumsy and peculiar and would’ve been amusing if it weren’t so serious.

“What the--?” Sebastian gasped, not expecting it.  

It took him a moment to get back on track and fight back. None of his friends helped him because it would’ve undermined his ‘authority’ over them if he couldn’t deal alone with one small nerd gone wild. Sebastian knew that and he couldn’t let himself be the one to be laughed at. He fought with fists. Finally Sebastian managed to push Erik aside and just when he was about to hit Erik hard in the face, Sandcastles called again, loud and clear and in his squeaky but asserted voice “Just twy to hit him and this diwt goes wight on youw clothes and haiw!”

It was an odd threat, Erik thought. But surprisingly it worked. Sebastian slowly let go of Erik and glared at Sandcastles instead.

“This time you’re lucky, baby! But I know you. You’re friendless, all alone. No one’s gonna come to your rescue next time.”

This said Sebastian gave his buddies a sign and the three of them left.

Erik stood up, brushing his clothes from the sand and dirt. Sandcastles brought him his glasses and when Erik put them on he realized the boy was smiling at him.

“I think we showed him.” Sandcastles said, not without pride.

Erik chuckled. “Yeah, I think we did.” He bit his lip. “I’m—I’m Erik.”

The boy was still smiling. “Charles.” He said and then frowned a little and sighed. “Just call me Chuck.”

“I like Charles. That’s lovely. Sounds like something out of a fairytale.”  

“Is this a good thing?” Sandcastles—Charles asked, tilting his head.

“Oh, yes, I think so.” Erik nodded

“I don’t know. Some fairytales are really nasty.” The boy said and Erik was impressed that someone  _knew_ the books and not just the Disney movies. The enthusiasm of this discovery was obvious on his face and made the shorter boy bite back a smile.

“Are you alright?” Erik then asked concerned. “Did they hurt you badly?”

Charles shrugged pointing at his hair. “My haiw pwobably looks a mess but other than that, I’m fine.” he replied. “You?”

“Oh, I’m good.”

Charles smiled again, relieved. “Thank you.” he said.

“No problem.”

“No, I mean… thank you fow defending me.”

“Oh… well, it was the right thing to do.” Erik said "But... why did he run away from the dirt?" 

"Oh, you know... His mum will gwound him fow etewnity if he shows up at home all diwty and messy again." Charles laughed. 

"Oh!" Erik chuckled too. “Well, he deserves it." and then he added shyly "Just so you know, I like the way you talk.”

Charles melt into a smile again and blushed a little. “Thank you…” he said quietly, sincerely. “They say I will talk pwopewly but it may take some time…”

“Well, you still sound lovely to me.” Erik smiled back.

Suddenly an idea came to him and he furrowed his brow in concentration for a moment contemplating it. His serious face looked adorable on someone his age.

“Is evewithing okay?” Charles asked, looking closely at Erik.

“Yes.” Erik said decisively. “I need to ask you something.”

“Ask away.” Charles smiled sheepishly

“It’s my birthday today.” Erik announced. “So do you want to maybe come and eat cake with me?”

The boy’s eyes went wide. “It’s youw biwthday!?”

Erik nodded awkwardly.

“Happy biwthday, Combefewe.”

“Thank you, Charles.”

“I’d love to come and cewebwate with you.” Charles grinned and Erik beamed at him in return.

“Perfectlicious!” he said, causing Charles to Charlesle fondly.

By the end of the day the two boys were inseparable, laughing and joking and having the time of their lives.

 “So that was some biwthday!”

“It was!” Erik laughed “I thought I’ll just sit in the corner of the playground, hiding from everyone and play laboratory in my head. But… this was so much better!”

“I’m almost glad stupid Sebastian came to bully me.” Charles chuckled, his eyes sparkling “Labowatowy in youw head, you say… hmmm. I like playing labowatowy!”

“That’s interesting because I made that game up.” Erik said, trying not to burst into laughter.

“Well…” Charles bit his grin back. “You may want to wemind me of the wules and how to play…”

Erik laughed and hooked his hand under his new friend’s arm. “Charles, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship!”

**_~ present day ~_ **

80 year old Erik was laughing fondly, quietly. “A beginning of a beautiful friendship indeed… And then love… and then family… and then kids… and then grandkids… and then… Well…” he sighed “It’s another birthday and I just… I just couldn’t let you not make this one special too… I don’t want to have a birthday without you being around, Charles.” He swallowed. He had to or else his voice would start to waver and then Charles would know—Charles would find out how lonely and sad Erik felt right now. How lonely and sad he felt for these last 8 months… And we can’t have that, no sir! So he put the smile back on his face and spoke. “You are the love of my life, Charles. Thank you for sharing your life with me.”

He opened his eyes again and looked at the seat next to him. Charles’s bright smile, his shiny eyes, his messy curly hair, his jolly laughter all faded away, melting into a different form – the form of an urn.

The urn was placed on the seat next to Erik. It was a beautiful urn, Charles would’ve loved it. Erik had it specially made for him. His Charles loved to be dressed in style so Erik had to make sure he was dressed in style now as well. After all, this urn contained Charles’s ashes. This urn was going to contain Erik’s ashes too when the time came. Probably soon… maybe tonight? Who could tell? One thing was sure: since he was 10 Erik spent each of his birthdays with Charles. His 80th birthday would not break this tradition.

Erik took the urn into his arms, embracing it close to his heart as his eyes closed, his breathing gradually slowing down as a peaceful smile appeared on his face.

  _I promised you forever, my Charles, and forever it shall be…_

As Erik’s body relaxed and grew colder, his mind saw a bright light. At first he was confused what to do, where to go. But then there was something in the end of the light. Erik looked more carefully and…

 _“Happy birthday, my Erik…”_ the familiar voice said and Erik smiled as he recognized his Charles’s bright smile, shiny blue eyes and open arms. 


End file.
